There Will Be a Sixth Season of 'Downton Abbey' - But the Cast Isn't Confirmed Yet

The fifth season of "Downton Abbey" has yet to air in the U.S. -- it's currently broadcasting in the U.K. -- but news has already spread that the acclaimed drama will get a sixth season, according to PBS.

What's unclear, though, is just who among the current cast will return for it. While creator Julian Fellowes has been confirmed to continue writing for the series, there's been no official word about which actors will also be back.

That, of course, leads fans to worry about which beloved character(s) will meet his or her untimely end in a devastating death no doubt planned for the end of the season. (Season five contains eight episodes, plus a George Clooney-starring Christmas special -- could the Christmas goose be poisoned, perhaps?)

American audiences won't see season five until it premieres on PBS on January 4. Let the wild speculation commence until then.